It’s the morning after Eno Williams stole the show on Later... With Jools Holland.

We’re discussing the irresistible orange and red melon print dress she chose for the occasion.

“It lends itself to the music because it’s distinctive,” explains the London-born, Nigerian-raised singer, whose band are currently on an unstoppable run.

“It’s an African print brought up to date.”

She heads up an eight-piece collective influenced by highlife and Afrobeat, by post-punk and synth pop, by jazz and disco funk.

She compares Ibibio Sound Machine to the United Nations because it has musicians from Brazil, Nigeria, Australia, France, Ghana, Trinidad and England. And everyone in the group contributes to the sound, whether their taste is Talking Heads or Herbie Hancock.

Williams grew up listening to the highlife and Afrobeat played by her parents. It started with Manu Dibango and Inyang Henshaw and as she grew older it became Fela Kuti.

“Even though we were children, we were not allowed to listen to Fela because my parents knew he was so political,” she says.

Ibibio takes its name from the native language of south eastern Nigeria spoken to Williams by her parents and grandparents.

The stories they told her – folk tales and Biblical fables, riddles and rhymes – provide the lyrics and ditties for Ibibio’s debut record on London label Soundway, known for reviving rare and vintage West African tracks but now releasing new music.

“It’s a storytelling language so it’s very lyrical and lends itself to music. You can hear it on The Talking Fish, Uwa The Peacock, The Tortoise, which are all stories taught to me when I was growing up.”

Though the music is made for upbeat all-nighters, Williams says Ibibio began as a studio project when she and sax player Max Grunhard’s idea for an Ibibio language project connected with producers Leon Brichard (bass) and Benji Bouton’s (drummer) groove-making.

“I started with the lyrics – they would work out the grooves. Alfred came in with his guitar and highlife influence and Anselmo Netto added his own Brazilian flair on percussion. Then Tony and Max would join and it was everybody putting in their different skills.”

Ibibio’s rapid rise to radio and television is dovetailing with the debut album picking up momentum.

“It was nice to do something fresh because everything sounds the same these days. When music is different and unique and you hear something that stands out you are like, ‘Oh my goodness’,” jokes Williams.

“Music is a universal language so even if it is not in English as long as there is something behind it, it will really touch you.”

  • Ibibio Sound Machine play the Corn Exchange, Church Street, Brighton, on Saturday, May 17. Starts 9pm, £10. Call 01273 709709